Chapter 624
Bear-san, raided by Ellelaura-san
The next day, as we were eating breakfast and discussing our plans, I heard a woman’s voice calling me from outside.
“Yuna-chan, I think someone’s at the door.”
The voice sounded familiar.
“I’m going out for a minute.”
I left the room and opened the front door to find someone standing there, just as I had imagined.
“Yuna-chan, good morning.”
“Ellelaura-san, what are you doing here so early in the morning?”
“I heard Yuna-chan was in the capital, so I came to see you before I go to work.”
“You don’t have to show up.”
“I heard that Fina-san and her mother, Tirumina-san, are also here. I should at least say h.e.l.lo.”
“How did you know they were there?”
“Because Sanya told me.”
From what Sanya-san said, I remembered that Ellelaura-san suggested inviting Fina in the dismantling event would be a good idea.
“Besides, this whole thing was my idea, so I felt I owed Fina-san an apology if she was bothered by it.”
“She’s willing to do it, so I’m sure it will be fine.”
“Well, that’s good.”
I asked Ellelaura-san to enter the house, as I didn’t want to talk to her at the door.
“Yuna-chan, who was your guest?”
Tirumina-san asked when I came back to the room.
“Tirumina-san, it’s been a while.”
The guest herself greeted Tirumina-san.
“E, Ellelaura-sama!”
Tirumina-san’s voice surprised Fina and Shuri as well.
“Fina-san, it’s been a while, Shuri-chan as well.”
“Yes, yes. It’s been a long time.”
“Oh, it’s been a while.”
Fina greeted a little nervously.
Shuri also greeted her, imitating her sister Fina.
“Fufu, don’t be so nervous. You and I are good friends with Fina-san, right?”
I would like to ask her what kind of relationship they have.
Fina had a troubled look on her face when she was told that they were close.
So, I helped her out.
“Fina is troubled!”
“Oh, did I do anything to trouble Fina-san?”
“Ellelaura-san’s presence is bothering her.”
“Yuna-chan, that’s terrible!”
Ellelaura-san mimics crying.
I wish a good adult wouldn’t do that kind of mimicry.
Ellelaura-san might look young and pretty. Yet, she also appeared to be an evil woman because I knew her true nature.
I was sure Ellelaura-san would make a great villainess.
“Yuna-chan, are you thinking about something strange?”
“I’m not thinking about anything.”
I lowered my Bear hood, so she couldn’t read my expression.
“So, Fina-san, I’m sorry I told Sanya-san about Fina-san. You might just be partic.i.p.ating because you thought you couldn’t say no to a letter from Sanya-san.”
“Ah, it’s all right. I came of my own volition. I will partic.i.p.ate.”
“Well, I’m glad to hear that.”
Ellelaura-san smiled.
“Well, thank you again, Fina-san, for coming.”
“No, I mean…”
Fina was troubled by being thanked by Ellelaura-san, a n.o.ble.
“You’re bothering Fina again.”
“That’s terrible. I was just thanking her. But Fina-san, if it really bothers you, please let me know. I won’t force you to do anything. I’ll tell Sanya.”
“Thank you very much. But don’t worry. I am willing to partic.i.p.ate.”
“I see, thank you. I should also thank you in advance.”
“You don’t have to thank me…”
“Don’t worry, it will just be a small token of my appreciation.”
Hearing those words, Fina felt a little relief.
But her next words made Tirumina-san, not Fina, turn pale.
“Fina-san, I’m going to invite your family to the castle.”
“…!?”
“Tirumina-san.”
“Ye, yes.”
Tirumina-san was surprised when her name was suddenly called out.
“Tirumina-san, you have never been in the castle, have you?”
“…It’s not an easy place to get into, and I’ve only been to the royal capital a little in the past.”
“That’s right, it’s a long way from Crimnonia.”
“…Yes.”
Even if they lived in the capital, it would be challenging to get into the cfastle.
My position on the other hand, was just weird.
“Then, let’s go now!”
“Eh?”
“Look, Fina-san and Shuri-chan, let’s go!”
Fina was perplexed, while Shuri raised her hands in joy.
Tirumina-san looked at me as if asking for help.
I don’t think I could be of any help, but I’ll at least give her a helping hand.
“Ellelaura-san, are things going well at work?”
“What are you talking about? Isn’t it an important job to show customers around?”
“…”
I shook my head as if to indicate to Tirumina-san and Fina, “Give it up”.
I could almost hear Tirumina-san’s heart cry, “Yuna-chan!”
I could think of no reason to refuse.
And so we arrived at the castle.
The gatekeeper noticed me and tried to move. But Ellelaura-san stopped him.
“They are my guest today, so you don’t have to tell His Majesty.”
The gatekeeper looked troubled, but Ellelaura-san nodded in agreement as if to say, “I’ll take care of it”.
“What was that exchange you just had?”
“It is a kind of custom to inform His Majesty when Yuna-chan comes to the castle.”
Ellelaura-san answered Tirumina-san’s question.
But what’s with the custom?
Thinking about it, that might be to be expected, but it might be different from I was thinking about.
“Reporting to His Majesty the King?”
“When I come to the castle, I bring food for them to eat.”
Because of this, I got into the habit of bringing food every time I visited the castle.
I originally only planned to bring it for Flora-sama, but now it has ended up to the point where I have to prepare food for the King, the Queen, Tilia, Zeref the head chef, and Ange the maid.
But since I had no plans of visiting the castle today, and since Ellelaura-san invited me out of the blue, I didn’t bring any new food with me, so I didn’t want to be bothered if they came.
We walked around the castle.
Tirumina-san was looking around anxiously.
“I’m glad we get to see the inside of the castle, but I’m nervous.”
Well, I’ve been here many times, so I was not nervous.
“Is Fina okay?”
Tirumina-san looked at Fina.
Fina held Shuri’s hand to keep her from walking alone.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I’ve been here a few times, compared to the first time.”
Fina had gotten stronger.
I guess one gets used to it after a few experiences.
I’ve gotten used to wearing a bear costume every day.
Now it almost became normal for me to dress up as a bear.
I think the bear costume may have taken over my mind.
“What about Shuri?”
“The castle, it’s fun.”
Shuri didn’t seem nervous, her eyes sparkling.
But I wouldn’t want her to be disrespectful, so I’ll watch her closely.
Shuri sometimes behaved in unpredictable ways.
“But when Fina first came to the castle, you were extremely nervous.”
“I don’t have any memories of that time from halfway through the trip from before.”
Fina had no memory of what happened after she met Flora-sama. So she did not know that I was drawing picture books.
Fina was furious at me when she found out about the picture book later.
“Fufu, don’t be so nervous. Just feel like you’re in your own home.”
I didn’t think that was possible.
“But really, are you sure you want a normal person like us in the castle?”
People we were pa.s.sing by looked at us, but when they saw that Ellelaura-san was with us, they bowed their heads and acted as if they had not seen anything.
No one complained to us.
“It’s okay, I’m here. Besides, Yuna-chan is here.”
“Yuna-chan?”
“Yuna-chan is permitted by His Majesty the King to freely enter and leave the castle. As long as Yuna-chan and I are here, no one will complain. So as long as you don’t move away from us, you’ll be fine.”
At Ellelaura-san’s words, Tirumina-san grabbed my shoulders from behind, and Fina grabbed the Bear puppet.
Shuri then grabs the Bear puppet on the opposite side of Fina.
Apparently, Shuri imitated both of them.
“Fufu, Yuna-chan, you are very popular.”
Ellelaura-san smiled at us.
Ellelaura-san was probably right, and as we toured the castle, no one judged us.
After a while, Tirumina-san calmed down and was able to walk normally.
As I was thinking this, I felt someone hugging my waist.
I thought it might be Shuri, but it was not.
“Oh, Flora-sama?”
“Flora-sama?”
Flora-sama, the princess of this country, was hugging me.
Ange-san was a little further away, and when our eyes met, she bowed her head lightly.
Apparently, she had spotted me during our walk.
“Tirumina-san, let me introduce you. This is Flora-sama, the princess of this country.”
“Princess?”
Tirumina-san looked at me for confirmation.
“I am the daughter of His Majesty the King and a princess.”
She repeated the same thing.
Tirumina-san’s mouth was agape.
I understand how she felt, but that would be considered disrespectful.
“Fweena, Shuwi.”
“Flora-sama, it’s been a while.”
“Hime-sama.”
Flora-sama apparently remembered Fina and Shuri from the school festival.
That’s amazing.
I wasn’t very good at remembering people’s names.
But there was something I couldn’t understand.
Why was I still called Bear-san?
I felt like I was losing something between the two of them.
“My daughters are talking to the princess.”
They just greeted each other.
“Who?”
Flora-sama looked at Tirumina-san.
“It’s my mother.”
“Ti, my name is Tirumina, Flora-sama.”
Tirumina-san bowed her head in greeting.
“I am Flora.”
Flora-sama said her name and grabbed my clothes.
“Bear-san, let’s play. Fweena and Shuwi, too.”
“Well…”
“Well, I was going to give you a tour of the castle, but I guess we can’t refuse the princess’s invitation, can we?”
Ellelaura-san smiled, Tirumina-san’s face twitched, Fina looked troubled, and Shuri looked at me.
I could not refuse Flora-sama’s invitation and escape.
So I asked Tirumina-san to give up.
But going to Flora-sama’s room would be a big problem, so I decided to go to the garden.
Fina and Shuri have already been there, and it should be easier to talk there.
As we walked to the garden, holding Flora-sama’s hand, we saw someone ahead of us.
“Mother!”
Flora-sama lets go of my Bear puppet and rushed over to the Queen.
“Mother?”
“It’s the Queen, Kittia-sama.”
“The Queen…”
Tirumina-san turned pale with the arrival of a new member of the royal family.
Yes, I understand that feeling.
“Oh, was that Fina-san and Shuri-chan?”
“Hi.”
“Yes.”
Even Fina, who was not used to being spoken to by the Queen, was nervous.
Shuri was a little shy and greeted the Queen while hiding behind Fina.
Then, as a favor to the Queen, she invited Shuri and Fina to have tea together. Tirumina-san froze like a robot.
After the event, according to Tirumina-san, she had almost no memory of meeting the Queen.
They were so much alike, Mother and daughter.
It was probably a lucky thing that His Majesty the King did not show up.
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